LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN — Sonja Stilp got "chills" Sunday when she saw the mob of spectators gathered near the summit of this mountain so near and dear to the hearts of Front Range cyclists.

There were thousands of them — fit, friendly and thrilled to see the world's best cyclists tackle a mountain they like to claim as their own on a beautiful Colorado morning high above Golden.

"I do this ride, it's a serene ride, very quiet, and to have this energy and the excitement on the mountain is phenomenal," Stilp said while waiting for the USA Pro Cycling Challenge peloton to arrive.

Stilp, 40, rode over from her home in Genesee, twin 4-year-old boys trailing behind in a "chariot stroller." She also hauled their two little bikes for them to ride while waiting for the "King of the Mountain" race within the Golden-Denver stage.

Every weekend hundreds of cyclists ride the 1,300 feet up Lookout, embracing its considerable challenge, remarkable beauty and sweeping vistas. Sunday they lined switchbacks near Windy Saddle and packed the area just below Buffalo Bill's grave overlook, turning their passion into a party.

A 7-year-old boy rode up with his father on a bike connected to Dad's.

"Stop pedaling so hard. I'm not going to get a workout," the father teased.

"Time to get you weaker and me stronger," the boy shot back.

Moments later, spectators on the switchbacks less than a mile from the summit were cheering the boy for his determined climb.

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At the top was the predictable assortment of spectators in costume — a couple of guys in Speedos, two others throwing a football while wearing sombreros, a 48-year-old man in a Tinkerbell skirt who very dramatically shouted "Hide the beer!" when a Jeffco sheriff vehicle rolled by.

But most of the spectators up there were cyclists — lean, strong and overjoyed to see this mountain showcased for all the cycling world to see.

"Every July we watch the (Tour de France) and say we've got to go there," said Sandy Pearce, 40, of Castle Rock. "We've got to see Alpe d'Huez, we've got to see all the fun people that are partying and what that must be like. Now we have an opportunity to be those fun people that everyone else is watching on television."

Pearce wore a Triple Bypass jersey and would love to see this tour make that ride — Evergreen to Avon over Juniper, Loveland and Vail passes — a stage next year.

"So many of us do these rides, and this is a chance for us to see the best in the world come to us instead of us always going to them," Pearce said. "We know how we feel, and we're going to watch them do it with far more skill and speed than we ever could."

Chris Cherry also was wearing a Triple Bypass jersey. He has done that classic Colorado ride eight years in a row.

"Just to see these pros coming up mountains I ride almost every day — they're in a lot better shape than me, probably a lot younger than me — it's so exhilarating," said Cherry, 52, a Lakewood architect. "I can't believe they went so many years without having a pro event here."

Natalie Clayton, an avid cyclist for 20 years who recently joined a team, watched Pro Challenge stages in Steamboat and Breckenridge before riding up Lookout on Sunday.

"It's just amazing to see all of these people come out," said Clayton, 40. "I love being able to have an international event here. And you don't get yelled at for cycling. We're not getting yelled at, we're getting applauded.

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